


Trees

by DustOnBothSides



Series: Kylux (patchy) Advent Calendar [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Armitage Hux is Reasonable, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren Fluff, Feral Kylo Ren - Freeform, Hugging, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, M/M, Soft Kylux, Star Destroyer, Trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28138269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustOnBothSides/pseuds/DustOnBothSides
Summary: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren misses celebrating the Winter Solstice on Naboo. He tries to come up with a way that will put Chancellor Hux in holiday spirits, so one day they can visit Naboo and celebrate together.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Series: Kylux (patchy) Advent Calendar [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2038434
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	Trees

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7 of Kylux Advent.

Chancellor Hux was in his personal workshop few levels above the reactor engineering control deck, working on a new draft. Since he accepted his promotion, he found himself weighted down with less duties than he was used to. At first it had made him uncomfortable, but gradually he realized that the spare time he suddenly had could bring him back to the pursuit he secretly loved the most - _constructing_.

Presently, he was working on a new type of a Star Destroyer dock in conjunction with Kuat Drive Yards’ Major Serrica, one of his old engineering teachers from the time when he was just a cadet. 

It took him a while, but eventually he got used to this new pace and to the fact that he didn’t have to work fourteen hours a day and explain himself to people who openly disdained him. He started to use less stims and make his tea weaker, and because of the Supreme Leader’s insistence, he started to partake on regular meals as well. 

It was already past dinner time that evening, and he didn’t expect to be disturbed for the rest of the day, but suddenly there was a ping at the door, followed by three knocks.

Hux put the stylus behind his ear and cocked his head to the side, wondering what could’ve been on Kylo’s mind. After all, he had made sure to visit the officers’ mess hall for a quick meal and only stopped at the bridge to see how Peavey was doing. So what could’ve been the reason for this late evening visit?

He quickly activated several more holoscreens and loaded them with complex sketches as well as some particularly impressive drafts of various aspects of the new docks such as a production line for spare TIE parts or a hydroponics hall, and then he disengaged the safety locks of the entrance to the workshop. 

The Supreme Leader entered - though _‘slunk in’_ was probably more appropriate. 

Hux straightened his back. It was apparent this would be no courtesy visit. Kylo’s expression belonged to someone who was about to ask for something. Something most likely quite troublesome. 

“Kylo. Good evening.”

“Ah, yes. Evenin’.”

“Is there something the matter?” 

“Well…” 

Kylo stared somewhere beyond Hux’s shoulder, fidgeting, until he sat down on the sturdy chair made of durite and slivian iron no one but him was allowed to use, but even then he wouldn’t meet Hux’s eyes, and he was constantly worrying the inside of his lip, which kept upsetting the soft line of his mouth.

“Has the Resistance ravaged any of our bases? Is someone conspiring against you?” 

Kylo finally met Hux’s gaze as he thumped his fingers against the sturdy worktop. 

“No. No, not at all. I… no. And besides… someone conspiring against me means conspiring against _us_.” He added quietly. “No. I was just… you know it’ll be Winter Solstice on Naboo soon.”

“Yes. I think I’ve noticed something on the holo-news.” Hux nodded, as if Kylo didn’t drop hints here and there for the last several weeks. “But I’m afraid I’m not at all familiar with this festival. Naboo is the homeplanet of your grandmother, right? It makes sense you want to celebrate. Do you need anything to do so?”

“Well…” Kylo twiddled his fingers faster than before. “I was wondering whether we could get a tree here, on the _Finalizer_.”

“A tree? As in -“

“A conifer. A small conifer.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then surely one of our squadrons can grab an axe and-“

“ _No_.” Kylo interrupted him. “No. Alive. The tree has to be kept alive. That is the entire point. I was just wondering whether there is a room in here where one could… uh… plant it.”

Hux pressed his lips together, and then he shook his head. 

“Sorry, there isn’t. Trees need water, light, and soil. I think I could bring the temperature of the lighting down to something more plant-friendly, but we have no soil in here, and water leaking through the floor plating would be bad news indeed. Trees need… well, they need a lot of both. Soil _and_ water. _And_ they _grow_.”

Kylo’s face fell. “Oh. That’s true. That wasn’t probably a very good idea to begin with… well… I’ll leave you to your constructing then.”

And before Hux could say anything else, he backed out of the workshop. 

The Chancellor wanted to resume his previous work, but his thoughts kept returning to Kylo and that disappointed expression of his. He didn’t think there ever was a tree on any Star Destroyer - perhaps with the exception of some rare furnishings of the old Imperial-era commanders. 

He shook his head. 

No matter how he looked at it, keeping a live tree on a Star Destroyer sounded like a bad idea. 

Kylo returned to his quarters. He wanted to meditate a bit, but the longing for his favourite Nabooian holiday kept haunting him, so he flung himself on his bed, buried his face in a pillow, and indulged in a spot of daydreaming. 

How wonderful would it be – Armitage and him on Naboo. 

Just the two of them, somewhere in a cabin surrounded by dark, quiet woods. 

They would cook the meal of the Last Ember together and leave a portion outside on the snow in order to give strength to the sun on the day when it’s at its weakest. Later after nightfall, they would then cuddle in front of the fireplace and divine their fortune for the upcoming year by trying to discern any particular shapes or figures in the dance of the flames. And in a corner right next to them, there would be a lavishly decorated tree, growing from a large planter bedecked by garlands of straw, ivy, and clumps of crimson berries. 

Kylo’s heart ached.

He had been to Naboo only a couple of times as a child, but each time was like living in a fairy tale. It was hard to believe anything bad could ever happen there, and the fact that it was the late Emperor’s homeplanet was downright inconceivable. 

He wished he would visit it with Hux one day, but he realized the time was not ripe yet. What he was scared of the most was the possibility that they would go there and rent or buy a gorgeous cabin in some remote, dramatic landscape… only for Hux to treat the Winter Solstice like a chore. 

Rolling onto his side, he tried to come up with a way to get Hux accustomed to shore leaves, celebrations, and fun. 

If one wishes to get used to something, it’s best if one starts with small doses, but…

_‘Yes! That’s it!_ ’ he exclaimed in his mind and sat up. 

Next morning he sent Hux a brief message, informing the Chancellor he’ll be gone for a bit, then he boarded the _Silencer_ , and off he went. 

He planned to be back in a couple of hours. In the end, his mission took three days, and in order to complete it, he had to get Vicrul and Kuruk to assist him; but it was worth it. 

He landed, unannounced, in the _Finalizer’_ s hanger bay, opened the slightly singed hatch and jumped out, flakes of dried blood snowing onto the pristine floor. While he was still riding the high of his success, he strode towards where he could feel the burning flare of Hux’s presence - his quarters. He couldn’t wait to see his Chancellor. Those three days were long and arduous. He had to raze his way through scores of enemies in order to secure the gift that might eventually make Armitage amenable to spending some time with him on Naboo; he even took two AAT-1 hover tanks head on and came out victorious as he knew he’d be. 

Flinging the door open, he strode in, buoyed by his triumph. 

Hux looked up, surprised by the sudden intrusion. His eyes took in Kylo’s blood-caked clothes, his scorched cloak, the bruise on his cheek, and the cut on his forehead… and finally, they rested on a small flowerpot he protectively clutched to his chest. 

In it was a dwarf pine about thirty centimetres tall, with unusually bent trunk and tufts of lush green needles. 

“Here. I got you a tiny conifer. See its branches? They have tiny needles on them! Smell it! The scent is so wonderful!”

Hux took the tiny pot. He gave it a thoughtful look, then he gazed at the Supreme Leader again. 

Kylo’s face fell a little. 

“Come with me.” Hux said before Kylo had a chance to blurt anything out.

He simply nodded and followed Hux out of his office, through the endless corridors and past many workstations, down to the vicinity of the atmospheric distribution ducts.

There was an unmarked door there. Just before opening it, Hux gave Kylo a blank look, though the force user could sense a smile hiding behind it.

The door slid open- and revealed something Kylo had thought to be inconceivable.

A room full of greenery. There were Spathiphyllums with glossy, dark green leaves, five-leaved ivies in wall-mounted flowerpots, cascading to the rubber-lined floor in verdant waterfalls, patches of snow-white anemones... But Hux didn’t stop there. He pulled Kylo over to a large planter with something quite unexpected growing inside. It was- Kylo couldn’t believe it. 

It was a chinar tree. The real thing, spreading a wonderful scent of needles, spices, and fire all around. A rarity thought to have gone extinct along with its homeworld Alderaan. 

“How about we put this one right over here?” Hux suggested and set the dwarf pine next to the large chinar tree. 

“Hux… h-how did you…?”

“I… I don’t know much about celebrations. But you seemed so enthusiastic about it. It made me sad. Like I can’t reach you. So I used my network of contacts to prepare this room for you. I realize you are much more used to planets than to Star Destroyers and that you probably miss trees and plants, and I… I want you feel at home here. At least a little bit. I don’t want you to leave.” Hux finished, his voice low, almost dejected. 

Kylo looked at him, his eyes damp. 

He locked the chancellor within his arms, and together they stayed like this for the longest of time. Not kissing, not caressing, just embracing and drawing strength and stability from one-another.

“I wish I could gift you the reins of every planet of this galaxy one day.” Kylo whispered into his ear. 

“Don’t. You don’t have to leave me for something so silly. Don’t… don’t leave me at all. That’s an order.” Hux whispered and Kylo hugged him even tighter. 

“You don’t have to worry, Armitage. This is my home. It’s my home because you are here. And as long as you stay here, I… I won’t leave ever again. Not without you.”

Hux smiled and rested his head on Kylo’s shoulder. 

For the next several hours, the vastness of the galaxy shrank down to the heat of their bodies and the all-permeating scent of the green.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments will be much appreciated. They are my fuel.


End file.
